Cheese is a super delicious treat that works with almost any savory dish. You can add it to your pizza or simply put thick slices of cheese on your toast.
Cheese may be a wonderful food but it’s also packed with fat and carbohydrates. Most sliced cheese has up to 150 calories, although this can vary depending on the type of cheese.
In this article, we find out how many calories you can expect in a slice of cheese, from classic American cheese to Edam and Emmentaler.
How Many Calories Does A Slice Of Cheese Have?
Most sliced cheese has a calorie count between 30 and 150 calories. This varies depending on the type of cheese, any additives and the size of the slice.
Many store-bought cheeses are sliced. This makes it easier to use the cheese in your sandwich but it can make it more challenging to find the exact calorie amount.
American cheese and cold pack cheese have only 31 calories per slice, while white cheddar cheese can have over 100 calories in each slice weighing 28 grams.
Why Has Cheese So Many Calories?
Hard cheese and soft cheese both contain a large amount of fat that contributes to the higher number of calories in our favorite food.
While eating cheese in slices means that you digest a smaller portion, the cheese still has a lot of calories.
Besides the fat content, some cheeses also include other additives, such as food coloring, whey, milky fats and cheese cultures. These additives increase the cheese’s fat amount.
Some cheese varieties, such as American cheese, are also heavily processed which means that you can expect it to contain more calories. This being said, you can also find low-fat varieties of sliced cheese that contain fewer calories.
Which Cheese Is Lowest In Calories?
There are over 1,800 types of cheese around the world which means that it can be challenging to find the one with the lowest calorie count. Parmesan cheese has the lowest amount of calories, with 20 calories per tablespoon.
As Parmesan isn’t usually available in slices, you can also enjoy the second low-calorie cheese which is sandwich cheese (31 calories per slice).
This type of American cheese comes in handy slices that you just put on your toast or pizza without having to cut it. Most other cheeses in a sliced form have 70 calories or more per serving.
Which Cheese Is Highest In Calories?
Creamy cheeses, such as Stilton, Roquefort or cottage cheese, have the most calories. They also contain a large amount of saturated fat and salt.
For example, a slice of Stilton cheese has 124 calories. However, cottage cheese spread has over 160 calories which makes it also the most unhealthy cheese. This being said, you can also buy fat-free varieties of cheese that are much lower in fat and calories.
How Many Calories Are In A Slice Of Vegan Cheese?
While vegan cheese isn’t made with fatty dairy milk, plant-based cheeses also come in at between 35 and 70 calories per slice. The calorie count of vegan cheese is so relatively high because these cheeses use plant-based fats and starch.
Health Benefits Of Cheese
Despite the high calorie count of sliced cheese, this delicious food also has plenty of health benefits.
Cheese Contains Minerals And Vitamins
As classic cheese is made with cow’s milk, it is a source of a variety of vitamins and minerals. You can find omega-3 and omega-6 fats in cheese. These unsaturated fats are essential for our heart health and a healthy gut.
Cheese May Be Good For Your Teeth
A Danish study found that children who eat and drink more dairy products experience fewer cavities than those without a higher dairy intake.
Fatty Cheeses Contain More CLA
CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is a type of healthy fat that reduces inflammation in our bodies and prevents obesity.
Cheese that’s made with milk from grass-fed animal contains a considerable amount of CLA. This means that organic cheese can contribute to your overall health.
Cheese May Be Good For Your Heart
Cheese is not just a warming comfort food but it can also have a positive effect on your cardiovascular system, such as your heart and blood vessels.
Health Concerns Of Cheese
Although cheese has a lot of health benefits, there are also a number of health concerns when it comes to cheese.
Cheese Contains A Lot Of Fat
One of the biggest potential health risks of cheese is that it contains a large amount of fat. In small amounts, this can be manageable for your body.
However, if you eat too much cheese, then this high cheese consumption can lead to obesity and weight-related health conditions.
A large amount of fat and sodium in cheese can lead to high cholesterol levels and an increased risk of atherosclerosis. In order to avoid this, you can get low-fat or fat-free cheese which has the same taste but fewer calories.
Cheese May Increase Your Blood Pressure
Cheese also contains a lot of salt to give it its great flavor. While our body needs some salt to function properly, the large amount of sodium in cheese can quickly lead to too much salt in our system.
Too much salt in our body can result in an increase in blood pressure and a greater risk of heart disease.
How Often Should You Eat Cheese?
As cheese contains a significant amount of fat and calories, it’s a good idea to keep your cheese intake to a minimum.
There is no official recommendation for the consumption of cheese but many nutritionists suggest one slice of cheese per day.
This ensures that you still get all the good benefits from cheese without consuming too many calories. If you want to lose weight, then it’s a good idea to cut cheese from your diet as much as possible.
Final Thoughts
Calorie count of sliced cheese varies but most cheese slices contain between 30 and 150 calories.
![How Many Calories Do You Need To Maintain Your Weight? [How To Calculate?]](https://calorie-counter.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/How-Many-Calories-Do-You-Need-To-Maintain-Your-Weight-How-To-Calculate-1.jpg "How Many Calories Do You Need To Maintain Your Weight? [How To Calculate?]")
